Owning a cat does not just mean taking care of it and feeding it; it also means that you should get it some toys so that it can enjoy itself. Having toys is necessary for a cat, for if it has nothing to focus its attention on when it feels the need to bite or scratch, it will turn to your things such as your furniture. Watching a cat play brings great pleasure and satisfaction to yourself as an owner, so don’t hesitate when you see an adorable toy you think your cat will enjoy.

The demand for cats seems to be growing, as well as the market that caters to cats and cat owners. Therefore you don’t have to worry about not being able to find your cat a suitable toy, for there are thousands of selections for you to choose from. There are simple toys, cheap toys, and expensive toys and so on. There are battery operated toys that move around and it is very fun to watch your cats chase after them.

If you do not think you can afford a good toy for your cat, don’t despair, for there are plenty of toys you can still obtain without breaking your wallet. An example would be fishing poles for cats, made out of lightweight flexible poles that dangle an object at the end of a string. You can sit and move the pole around while your cat tries its best to get hold of the object dangling around. This can entertain you and your cat for a very long time.

It is in a cat’s nature to chase after mice. You can buy your cat a nice toy mouse made out of fur that is not very expensive. Your cat can then pounces on them and throw them into the air. It is great fun for the cat as well. Toys that have bells attached to them will bring a lot of enjoyment to your cat for cats love the sound that it makes and will consider the toy a prey and chase it around. Squeaky toys are not quite suitable for cats, as a cat do not have enough strength to squeeze the toy for the sound.

For more information on Cheap Cat Toys or visit http://www.siamesecatsinfo.com/inexpensive-cat-toys-your-cats-will-enjoy/, a popular website that offers information on Cats, Cats Breeding, and Cats Behavior. Please leave the links intact if you wish to reprint this article. Thanks

Cat aggression towards owners is a common problem and can be very distressing, not to mention painful! There are a range of reasons why your cat might be doing this. If you can identify the cause, then a solution is more likely to work.

Pain
If your cat has recently become aggressive, he or she may be in pain. No doubt you are pretty grumpy when you have a headache or toothache, and cats can experience these things too. If your cat has a condition like osteoarthritis, it may be more uncomfortable later in the day, and this may be when she becomes aggressive.

Play aggression
If your cat is fairly young, he or she may actually be playing with you. Kittens are most likely to play fight. Theories suggest that it helps kittens to strengthen their muscles, develop eye-muscle coordination and learn gentle social play. As the kittens get older, the amount of play aggression increases and gets rougher, eventually leading to the dispersion of the litter. Owners often find young cats sneaking up, biting and ambushing passing ankles instead.

You will need to redirect the cat’s behavior towards inanimate objects instead of you through active play with toys that move. When the cat becomes aggressive, a squirt of water or startle noise can help them learn not to attack you. You might consider introducing another cat of about the same age so that the play occurs between the cats instead of involving you.

Predatory aggression
The instinct to hunt is triggered by the sight or sound of moving prey. Hunting behaviors are instinctive so eliminating them is not possible. They can, however, be directed into acceptable outlets. Encourage active play with moving toys and direct the behavior toward objects that can withstand claws and teeth. If your cat is allowed outside, it can expend some energy hunting insects instead of you.

Redirected aggression
When a cat becomes upset, it would normally direct the aggression toward the source, however, if the source is not accessible, the cat may redirect the aggression towards something closer such as you, a dog or another cat. Unfortunately, the association between a victim and a stressful event can stick for a long time, so that every time the cat is around the victim, it is reminded of the incident and may attack again.

Prevention can be easier than cure. Don’t try to calm or handle an upset cat. There are times, however, when this is impossible. The most common solution is long-term separation of the cat from its target, but this can take a long time. Alternatively, your vet can prescribe anti-anxiety medications that you can combine with gradual reintroduction and rewards. If the victim is a cat that has become excessively fearful of the aggressive cat, it can also be treated to reduce its fear and increase its boldness.

Maternal aggression
Mother cats with young kittens are naturally protective of their young. Hormonally-influenced aggression is strongest during the first week after birth and gradually diminishes as the kittens get older. This is normal behavior. If you need to handle the kittens, try to keep a kitten between you and the mother cat. It is unlikely that the new mother will go over a kitten to attack you.

If you have an ongoing problem with cat aggression, it is best to speak with your vet to discuss various behavioral solutions. Medication is usually only for extreme cases, but can be helpful until behavioral measures are working.

Jenny is a cat lover and webmaster of Pictures Of Cats.
You are welcome to reproduce this article on your pet or family related web site, as long as you reproduce the article in full, including this resource box and link to her website featuring photo and video galleries of beautiful cats.

Cats eyes have often been used in horror films. But as a pet owner, you will know that the cats stare is really the complete opposite of what is portrayed in films. That is why cat eye care, is so very important for you to know.

How do cats say I love you? well this is through their eyes, of course. This is why you should never be frightened by there gaze. So how does this work? First of all, the cat stares at you for a long time. And after that, it blinks its eyes slowly. Some people call this the cats kiss. But you should also know that this is your cats way of showing you that it loves you.

But how do you return the favor? This is easy, all you need to do is follow your cats lead. Stare at it for a long time and then slowly blink your eyes. See? Cats eyes have also be used for romantic films as well.

Do not believe the horror films you see. Cats do not and never have had a third eye. Their eye sight is really far better than a humans. Instead of a third eye, what cats have is a third eyelid. This is called a nictitating membrane.

This inner eyelid protects the eyes of the cat from harm and also from dryness. You will always notice that when a cat is sick, this membrane will be some what closed. This should always alarm enough for you to call your vet or get your cat to them fast as possible.

But this third eyelid will also show once a cat is happy. So you will know what kind of mood your cat is in just by looking at the membrane.

You should always observe the pupil of your feline friend. A change in size of one of the pupils can often be an indication of an inflammation. It can also be a sign of a kind of a neurologic, disorder, this is called Horner’s Syndrome. Or worse, it can also indicate tumors or injuries in the central nervous system.

Never believe what others say that cats are color blind. They do see some colors. They may not see them as clear as human do, but its not true that they cannot see any colors at all.

Cats can also see clearly over long distances. There vision is very different from peoples. There vision will blurry if they are looking at objects that are very close to them.

Yes it is true, cats do have the nocturnal vision. But they can not see in complete darkness. Do you see the muscles on their iris that surround the pupils of their eyes? They are constructed in a way that it narrows into a vertical split when they are exposed in the bright lights. And it opens fully when they are in a quite dim light.

This feature of the cat may be traced back to their roots. They can use this feature to hunt for food during the night, that is if they were left out in the jungle or left with no one to care for them.

So you must forget about the horror movies that you have seen. Now it is time to put some effort into your cats eye care. Never let a minor ailments worsen. Always call your vet immediately when you think there is something not right or amiss. You do not want your cat to lose their sight or even worse lose their lives. Just remember it is always better to be safe than blind.

You have a bed of your own, so why shouldn’t your cat? It’s true to say that if you buy a bed or even several beds for your cat, he will probably still use your three piece suite, your own bed or indeed anywhere he wants, but you’ll feel better able to move him on if he has his own special place to sleep.

There are all sorts of cat beds, ranging from the very basic to the positively opulent. You can try to fit one in with your décor but frankly, unless your wallpaper has colourful mice or paw prints all over it, you are probably on a loser there! The best you can hope for really is a colour that doesn’t actually clash with that of the room that the bed will be kept in. However, you should really be more concerned about how the bed will be for your cat.

Some of these cat beds are similar to dog beds but smaller, i.e. an oval foam filled cotton cover with a fairly rigid base and sides with a lowered part of the side for the cat to walk in (as if they couldn’t jump over the sides anyway). These can be good as there is usually room for a bit of fleece or blanket inside, which is not only cozy for the cat, but keeps the cover of the bed a bit cleaner that it might otherwise be.

Another foam filled type of cat bed is similar to that described above but a little more like a traditional dog kennel in shape being completely covered over with a door shape for entry. Cats have a nesting instinct so some like this arrangement. Equally, if there are other animals or small children in the house, your cat may feel more secure with his own little “house” to retire to for peace and quiet. These beds can actually be heated but unless your cat is very old, this really shouldn’t be necessary.

Most cats moult on and off throughout the year, so some sort of mat or blanket to put on their favourite chair can be useful. You can whip it off and hide it if visitors come and the furniture shouldn’t be too hairy.

If your cat is a real heat junky, you can buy a sheepskin hammock type arrangement, which you can hang on a radiator. However, this won’t be suitable for an old cat as agility is the key when getting in and out of these things.

Cats often like bean bags. This are an inner lining filled with small polystyrene balls with an outer cover that can be removed for washing. Placed in a corner or other warm spot, your cat will soon get to like this arrangement.

Unless you introduce your chosen cat bed into the house when your cat is very small, your cat will probably pay it no attention at all for some time. If he ignores it completely, try picking him up and putting him on the bed while you stroke him for a while. If this approach fails, try inducing him with catnip toys or treats. Make sure that the bed isn’t in a thoroughfare and is somewhere away from draughts, maybe raised a short way off the floor.

If you have more than one cat, make sure that each one has its own bed. If they choose to swap around between themselves, then that’s their business, but never expect them to share a bed, although they may want to, particularly sibling kittens.

If you want to make the cat bed multi-functional, buy one of those beds cum activity centres with a scratching post but be sure that you have plenty of room for it!

My sister recently lost her cat Topaz. She had been a long time member of our extended family. As much as my kids loved her they experienced cat allergy symptoms whenever they went to visit their aunt. Both my children have mild asthma which typically means they are going to be allergic to cats. My sister actually has asthma herself but she loved Topaz enough to manage through her cat allergy symptoms.

You don’t necessarily need to see an allergist to determine whether you are allergic to cats. The allergic reaction is usually immediate upon entering a room with a cat or cats. So it doesn’t take much to put the dots together. Can you get rid of your cat allergy symptoms without getting rid of your feline friend? First we need to identify your symptoms.

Common Cat Allergy Symptoms

*Uncontrollable Sneezing
*Watery Eyes
*Wheezing
*Hives
*Eczema

An allergy to cats is caused by contact with the dander and the saliva that are in the air. They may also be on surfaces where you sit or sleep or even in the carpets around your house. Cats lick their fur when they are cleaning themselves and when that happens they deposit a protein on their fur that is the actual allergen. Cat allergy symptoms can be experienced in areas where you might not expect. Due to the nature of the allergen it can stick to clothes and hands and can therefore appear in the office or other places where cats are not allowed.

You can attempt to treat your symptoms with medications but for cat allergies it is best to consult with a doctor. Antihistamine medications and allergy eye drops may help. If your cat allergy symptoms can not be managed it may be time to consider giving your cat away. This is a last option but may be your only resort particularly if anyone in the family suffers from asthma. Their symptoms, like wheezing, are more serious and therefore be the bigger priority.

If your cat allergy symptoms are mild or moderate and you can’t imagine finding a new home for your feline family member here are some tips that may minimize your allergic reactions.

1. Get an air purifier with a HEPA filter
2. Keep your cat out of your bedroom where you spend the most time
3. Try to contain your cat to certain areas of the house
4. Vacuum your carpets with HEPA Vacuum Cleaner at least 2 times a week
5. Wash your hands after touching your cat

Cat allergy symptoms can come between you and your cat but if you really care about him you can do everything possible to manage your symptoms. Please keep in mind that new treatments are always being researched and keeping up to date on these may help you find the ultimate cure.

Most people love to own cats and dogs, but unfortunately, many people are also allergic to such animals. If you think that you’ve suddenly developed a cat allergy, make sure you do your homework before blaming symptoms on your four-legged, furry friend.

The only way you can find out for sure if you’re suffering from a cat allergy, whether it’s longhaired or shorthaired, is to take a specific test given by your physician. While at the doctor’s office, your physician will also ask you a number of questions such as your family history, your past history of allergies and how long you’ve been feeling particular symptoms such as watery eyes, itching, sneezing, among other more serious complaints.

Then, the physician will more than likely perform what’s called a skin-prick test or an intracutaneous test. These two tests will determine whether you are suffering from a cat allergy. The first involves pricking the skin with a needle dipped in allergen extract, while injecting a small amount of the allergen extract just beneath the skin surface completes the second. If skin shows signs of reddening or swelling, it’s likely that you’re allergic to cats, or whatever other allergen the doctor is testing you for.

After you’ve been diagnosed with a cat allergy, it’s important to figure out what it is about the cat that makes you allergic. Is it the fur, urine, or their saliva? Most people who are allergic to cats are allergic to their saliva, but keeping licking tongues away from your face or hands won’t do the trick. Because a cat grooms its fur every day with its tongue, deposits of its saliva coat their fur, which when dry, leaves the dry, invisible allergens behind.

Not only do these allergens stick to the cat’s fur, they also become airborne as the cat moves throughout the house, floating through the air to land on carpeting, furniture, clothes and every other exposed surface. About the only way to prevent suffering from a cat allergy at this point is to find your cat another home, but for some this is a drastic, and unacceptable decision. If you own a beloved cat that you suddenly develop an allergy to, stock up on allergy relief medications, if possible, and try to keep the cat isolated to one or two rooms of the house, but most especially out of your bedroom and off of your bed. Giving your cat a weekly bath may also relieve symptoms, though your cat may not like that very much.

Even when a cat is given away however, the allergen may remain in the household for months. When suffering from a cat allergy, and you’ve decided to give away your pet, make sure that someone shampoos carpets and furniture that can hold onto the cat allergens. A cat allergy doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your cat, though it may be the best solution, especially among older people, and while not easy, a cat allergy isn’t easy to live with either.

For more information on allergies try visiting http://www.theallergyeffect.com – a website that specializes in providing allergy related tips, advice and resources to including information on cat allergy.

Cats are beautiful animals and they take their place next to dogs. The cat health of a Persian sees some health problems that require some specific knowledge. Persian cats have some genetic problems that are prone to happen to any cat of this breed.

A Little History on the Persian Cat
Persian cats have beautiful long silky hair and their long hairs float everywhere they visit, including your lap. In the sixteenth century, Persian cats walked the roads in Turkey and some other areas. Some people believe that the longhaired Persian is a mutation of the shorthaired Persian from Egypt. Some believed that the difference in hair length was triggered by the cool weather conditions.

Make Up Of a Persian Cat
The Persian cat has a short tail that extends outward with thick bones and a round body. The eyes of a Persian are beautiful and big while the ears are small and appear too small for their heads. They have a flat nose similar to a Pekinese dog breed. The mild temperament and easygoing disposition makes the Persian an idea cat for everyone.

Susceptible To Polycystic Kidney Disease
The Persian cat is often susceptible to polycystic kidney disease, which affects the kidneys’s and generally are common from birth. Although these cats do not show signs until the age of six and up, the Persian cat has the cysts that grow as they grow and age causing the kidney to become enlarged. The prognosis is kidney failure, which will result in death for the cat. This cat health problemneeds to have immediate attention to take care of any future problems. For more info see http://www.aboutcathealth.org/cat/Common_Cat_Health_Problems/Cat_Urinary_Health_Problem.php

Some Signs Your Persian Has Kidney Disease
Persians have a need to use the litter box more frequently and have a strong need for water. The cat will more than likely sleep more than usual and may be a bit depressed and finicky about eating, which will lead to body weight loss. In some instances, the liver and the uterus sometimes is affected with the growth and spread of the cysts.

Getting Care for Your Sick Persian Cat
Because the Persian cat is normally born with the generic make up causing it to be prone to polycystic kidney disease, your vet may prescribe a drug to help with anemia that occurs after the spread of the cysts. The cats diet has to change to eliminate phosphorous and protein in the diet, which will cause more problems for your ailing Persian. In some cases, the vet will recommend a phosphate binder, which you add to the food or water supply.

Scientists believe that the disease is caused by a dominate gene and requires finding the potential carrier of this gene and eliminating the potential for further reproduction of the carrier. Vets can determine if the Persian kittens have the cysts at an early age to prevent reproduction of the cat that has the dominate gene. An ultra sound will provide a scan of the kitten’s kidneys and determine if the Persian kitten requires immediate sterilization to prevent further breeding of cats with the gene.

Cats can be a territorial lot and often do not take kindly to strangers, animal or human, intruding on their turf. In multi cat environments, there is often a dominate feline that simply will not tolerate other cats. Competition for things like attention and physical space can exacerbate the problem. Territoriality aside, aggressive or destructive behavior in cats can be more than just a nuisance.

While in college, I worked as maintenance person for a large luxury apartment complex. It was not uncommon to enter a tenants apartment while no one was home. One morning, with a repair order in hand, I went to fix a dishwasher. No sooner did I get in the door than a cat confronted me. With teeth bared and hissing up a storm, this cat was not about to let me get to the kitchen. Every time I would attempt to walk around the cat, he would lunge at me. The dishwasher would have to wait.

The tenant had a hard time believing that her precious tabby would act that way. She became a believer when I returned, and was confronted again by her attack cat.

Like their humans, pets react to stress in different ways. The sources of stress can vary from loneliness and neglect to a physical ailment. Cats are not immune to physiological and physiological problems some of which may be beyond the control of the owner. Abused animals are under enormous stress and can act out in very inappropriate ways. Clawing the furniture, spraying and aggressiveness can be symptoms of bigger problem beyond just a case of bad kitty syndrome.

As for pet cats, the problem of aggressive behavior can be compounded by how the owner responds. As a long time cat owner, I have received conflicting advice on how to handle a wayward kitty. Subjecting a pet cat to the same type of aversion discipline used with dogs is said by some experts to be ineffective. Others think that a cat simply cannot be trained. My own experience is that cats are creatures of habit and behavior modification usually involves breaking the cycle of habit.

Like pet dogs, pet cats can get bored. Maintaining an ample supply of toys and other amusements gives the cat something else to do besides clawing the couch. Scratching comes natural to a cat as they attempt to keep their claws sharp. This is a throwback to their feral instincts and also helps the cat to mark its territory.

One obvious way to keep clawing damage to a minimum is to keep the claws trimmed. Some cats did not seem to mind the process while others may put up a struggle. If your cat struggles or otherwise resists do not risk injury to yourself or your cat. Consult a professional pet groomer or veterinary professional.

Behaviors such as spraying and defecating in areas other than the litter box can be symptomatic of physical illness. Assuming that the litter box is clean and well maintained, spraying and other inappropriate urination can be a sign of a urinary tract infection. Spraying is also a way for male and female cats to mark territory. Likewise, defecating outside the litter box can be symptomatic of an intestinal worm infestation.

Only your veterinary professional can determine if a physical ailment is to blame and it is important for you cat to have a thorough examination.

Pet cats can be a finicky lot, very independent and with their own personality quirks. The important thing to remember is that under that façade of independence lies an animal that is dependent on us for love, care attention. Behaviors can be our cats way of talking to us. As responsible pets owners, we have a responsibility to listen.

Mitch Endick is a short article writer, editor and website developer for the popular pet site petpages.com.
www.petpages.com is a pet information site with free pet ads, dog classifieds, and puppy for sale info Petpages.com also offers information on cats, fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets, rabbits, mice and even pet bugs.

Bringing home a new cat to provide your kitty with some companionship and a playmate may seem to be a very good idea, but it can be fraught with difficulties. The older (or original cat) may be very resentful of this new interloper, invading his territory and will defend it.The result can be vicious cat fights, which, if one of the cats is younger, smaller or more vulnerable can end up in a trip to the vets or worse!

However, it doesn’t have to be like this. By taking a few precautionary steps, you can keep hostilities to a minimum. It is only natural that there may be some initial hissing and growling,but you don’t want any resentment to progress further than that. The key to success lies in the slow introduction of the new cat.

Give them time to get to know one another by using the following steps:

1) Rub the cats down with the same towel to transfer their scents to each other or make the cats smell similar by rubbing powder into their fur.

2) Put the new cat in a bathroom or bedroom for a few days away from the older cat. Feed the older cat by the door of the new kitty’s room so that the two cats can smell each other and virtually eat side by side but with a door separating them!

3) Take some time to put the older cat into the new cat’s room and allow the new arrival out to explore the rest of its new home in safety. This gives her a chance to find a hiding place if she wants and to learn the smell of the older cat. The older cat meanwhile will be becoming accustomed to the new cat’s smell, too. Then return the animals to their original places,leaving the door slightly open for a few hours so the cats can see each other.

4) Repeat this process over the next few days.This gentle, slow introduction should help prevent a face to face cat fight.

There may still be romps and occasional acts of aggression but by introducing them to each other slowly,they should learn to tolerate each other and cohabitat peacefully.

Many people believe that cats have their own agenda and don’t pay much mind to their owners – as long as you give them plenty of food, water, toys and clean litter, that is. The truth is that while cats can surely behave in odd manners at times, making people laugh – and scratch heads at times, even. However, even though cat behavior may be somewhat confusing at times, here are some tips to help you learn more.

1. Cats enjoy playing. They like people to play with them, and they like to play with toys, especially string. They will pounce when playing, this is normal, so if you try to stop this behavior, your cat may turn negative and break things.

2. Cats like to push their heads into objects when possible, like couch and table legs, television stands, etc., sometimes people – like your house guests. And when the cat rubs his head against this person, he or she (the cat) may put a touch of saliva on the person, too, because in a cat’s mind, he owns what he puts his saliva on.

3. Indoor cats enjoy spending a lot of time lying near a sunny window. While lying in this comfortable spot, the cat may make some very strange noises or incur some strange movements. But don’t worry. The cat is basically acting out some natural hunting instincts. You see, regardless of whether another cat or some other animal, person or object outside of the window is moving around, the cat may see it and choose to go right into his natural hunting instinct mode.

The longer you are around cats or even own your cat, the more odd behaviors you will most probably spot or see him or her exhibit. Even though cats may behave in strange ways, they almost always have a reason for behaving the way they do. So if you take the time to learn more and to understand why your cat behaves like he does, you should hopefully have less or no problems in helping keep him or her happy and healthy.

Tip

If you just pay a little more attention to your cat and the way he or she behaves at times – you should be able to understand the behaviors better than ever before. Get more tips at: http://yourhealthypetsonline.com 24/7.